Die for 'Chu
by Flitty
Summary: Jam Hachimitsu was a ten year old soon-to-be Pokemon trainer. One small accident later, life decides he has a new goal. Original Characters, Original Region. Rated M for the dark first chapter. Starter Pokemon is Pikachu, but this isn't a normal Yellowfic.
1. An Explosive Start

**I don't own Pokemon, including all the species, but the character(s in the future) are my own creation.**

**This chapter, and this chapter only (probably) is very dark! Skip to the next if you don't like dark, you have been warned!**

* * *

><p>Jam Hachimitsu was a nine year old boy. He'd had his Pikachu for three years now, and could almost hear what the yellow mouse said to him. Almost. Until today, at least.<p>

It struck midnight. Jam was a ten year old boy, now. He would get a Pokedex in the morning. He went to bed that night, unaware of the situation that would unfold the next day. 'Chu rested on the boy's stomach as he stretched out on his hammock and drifted off.

The next day saw Jam and 'Chu at the Crustock Village Pokemon Center, ready to collect his Pokedex and trainer licence from Professor Maple, perhaps a little earlier than he should have been. He checked his watch. Surely four o'clock wasn't too early? He had been told to come no later than half nine, but he'd never been instructed on what to do if he showed up a little early, so he settled on waiting.

The minutes passed, then a few hours followed suit. Jam had no idea it was possible to be this bored! He strained his ears for any sign of the man who would give him a licence, but only heard the ticking of the clock under the healing machine.

Wait, a minute.

Jam was a very bright ten year old. He knew the basic workings of the world, and he also knew that hearing a ticking sound with no clock in sight wasn't a good sign. He scrambled to the machine. Underneath was a box that he didn't dare open. He turned to leave, but noticed with a jolt the six Pokeballs left in the machine. He could only carry three at a time, and he knew that the capsules could break! He wrenched the nearest three out of the machine.

Rushing to the door, he practically threw 'Chu onto the grass outside, along with the three red and white balls, and shouted to the thunder mouse. "Go find help, 'Chu!"

That would keep him away from the blast, if it went off before Jam could get out. The child sprinted back to the healer and ripped the lid open, not even noticing the screaming pain as his fingers were instantly covered in blood, the blood vessels having exploded from the sheer pressure exerted on them. He raced back to the door with Pokeballs at hand, slammed through the door with his shoulder, and knew no more.

Except that he did. He fell to the floor right in front of the Center. The pain caught up with him; he could feel all ten of his broken, bloody fingers. That was the least of his worries, though. The glass door that he had just burst through had shattered, spraying shimmering shards over his body at a deadly speed.

He had somehow managed to shield his eyes from both the glass and the light, but the rest of his senses weren't so lucky. He had been deafened by the explosion and as far as he could tell, his eardrums had been torn apart. The entire exposed right hand side of his body was now encrusted with glass, and he could feel every single splinter. That didn't feel good.

Oh well, he thought, as his eyes closed for the final time, at least the Pokemon were safe. Maybe he should get himself a Pokeball. They might not be invincible, but they offered amazing protection. With that thought running through his mind, the boy died.

* * *

><p><strong>This turned out dark... Don't worry, it'll become lighter in later chapters. Much lighter.<strong>

**This was just the setup for Jam's predicament. It should be completely skippable, if you don't like dark and painful things. And death.**


	2. Second Wind

**Pokemon belongs to Nintendo, etc etc.**

**Key:**

"Speech"

_~Thoughts~_

_"Pokespeech_

* * *

><p>Jam's head hurt. A lot. The rest of him hurt too, but none of it quite so badly as his head. He tried his hardest to ignore the pounding, and opened his eyes. Wait, no he didn't.<p>

He tried again. Nothing.

Just when he had stopped trying, his eyes flew open of their own accord, and he found himself standing up, before shifting his weight forward and walking on all fours to an extremely high chair. By now, he was understandably annoyed; being unable to control your own body isn't a nice experience, generally.

_~What's going on?~_

The boy jumped (or he would have, if he had any control over his body) as a voice in his mind snapped at him, crying bitterly. ~_You died, that's what! You just... Died! Right in front of me!~_

Jam could feel tears running down his cheeks and registered that he was shaking violently, but couldn't for the life of him figure out why. He knew that voice, though, despite the fact that he had never heard it actually speak in his life. ~'_Chu?!~_

_~Yes, it... It's me,~ _the voice confirmed, attempting fruitlessly to keep its tears at bay.

_~Where are you? And why can't I see you, anyway?~_ As if to answer, his body jumped high onto the chair, then again onto the gigantic table, and glanced around, apparently spotting something of interest.

If Jam could actually move, his head would currently be rebounding off the nearest wall. Many times. As it was, he simply stared.

'Chu stared back.

The mouse stood at Jam's exact height, his eyes on the same level and his face twisted into the same heartbroken expression he could feel on his own face. His body pulled a long ear down from above his head, and the 'Chu in the mirror did the same. His tail twitched, and he understood.

_'So much for Pokemon training, then.'_ Jam felt he was acting abnormally calm at the prospect of being stuck in the same body as his best friend for all eternity. He was sure it was just the shock.

_'That's all you have to say?! You died! Everyone's been crying for the past three days, we thought it hadn't-'_

Jam found himself in a field of darkness. Looking down, as he was now able to, he did a double take. His hands were the same hands that he'd mangled in the healer, except there wasn't a single thing wrong with them. They also happened to be glowing, with bright twirls of blue energy wrapping around them. He turned his attention to the rest of his no-longer ruined body, and was greeted with a similar sight. Before he could investigate the strange strings of power, however, he was caught in the stomach by a yellow missile, and went down returning the impossibly powerful hug with equal enthusiasm.

"'Chu! I thought I'd never see you properly again!" He yelled in delight, and any onlooker would be amazed that the mouse hadn't suffocated.

_"I just... I don't..."_ And 'Chu was sobbing into Jam's shoulder, yellow ribbons joining the blue as they cried together, any and all conflict forgotten in each other's company.

After several hours, the silver-haired boy voiced a question that had only recently forced its way into his mind. "So where are we, 'Chu?"

_"...Maybe a dream world of some sort?"_

"But that would mean you fell asleep half way through telling me off..."

The Pikachu's cheeks became an even brighter red, if that was physically possible._ "I was stressed, okay? You died! You should have run before it-"_

"And leave three Pokemon to die? Even Pokeballs couldn't survive a bomb!"

'Chu lowered his head in grief. _"I'm s-sorry, Jam. I-"_

"What are you sorry for? You're my best friend! Of course you'd worry about me. I wouldn't love you quite so much if you didn't!"

The following embrace lasted until 'Chu woke.

'Chu? Are you awake? I have some Pokemon food for you. Losing Jam was a tragedy, but he wouldn't want you to sta-" Professor Maple stopped, for sitting on Jam's hammock, grinning cutely, was 'Chu. After the coming heart-attack had been subverted, the greying man asked a single question, hardly daring to raise his hopes. "Is he with you?"

A single nod.

* * *

><p><strong>Don't worry, this chapter confused me too. I still have no clue where I'm going with it. I know how Jam and Pikachu were merged, but other than that, I don't even know if any part of the chapter will become a plot point.<strong>

**As I said on Scared?, I'm making this up as I go.**


	3. A Message from Jam

**Nintendo stole Pokemon from me. True story. (Lies)**

**New key:**

"Speech"**  
><strong>

_'Thoughts/telepathy'_

_~Pokespeak~_

'Writing/thoughts I forgot to italicise'

* * *

><p>The Professor had left to inform Jam's mother that the 'risky business' had worked, and the boy wondered what business could end with him in 'Chu's body. So he asked.<p>

_'I don't exactly know, actually. Professor Maple said something about his friend and a faulty teleporter, but I don't understand what that could have to do with anything. He just told me that it probably wouldn't work, and might kill me, but it had a chance to save you.'_

Jam choked. _'And you agreed?! You could have died!'_

_'Look who's talking, Mr Self-Sacrifice.'_

_'okay, okay, fine.' _Something clicked in his mind._ 'Wait, there was a failed teleporter experiment a few years ago! Apparently a guy called Bill went through with a Pokemon, and it moved his mind to the Pokemon!'_

_'So your mind was teleported to me?' _'Chu asked skeptically.

_'It makes sense, a little bit. Maybe we'll find something else out later.'_

At that, the door to Jam's bedroom slammed open, and Jam's mother walked in, tears sticking black hair to her face. She knelt in front of the Pikachu and asked. "Jam?"

Jam nodded, before remembering that he couldn't. But he just had! 'Chu cleared up his confusion. _'I moved for you. Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it, until we figure something else out.'_

The once-a-boy was upset that he couldn't take action, but hey, he was (mostly) alive and could keep his friend company. What more could he possibly ask for?

_'Okay, first thing's first, my mom needs a hug. A big one.' _And Jam's mom got a hug. A big one._ 'Second, do you know how to write? I think I can understand Pokemon language now, maybe you learned to write when I died.'_

'Chu mentally shrugged, and went through his mind for some nugget of information. Jam cheered as he responded, _'guess I got some benefits, too!'_

_'Great! Think you can write a letter telling her that I can't move, but I'm fine with it?'_

_'Sure.'_

_'Oh, and that we're still going on the journey.'_

'Chu blanched. _'What?! But-'_

_'But nothing. You've been waiting to go for a year now. I'm not going to let a minor injury stop us.'_

_'Jam, you __**died**__. That isn't a minor injury.'_

_'I got better, didn't I? It didn't even hurt that much.'_ Okay, that was a lie, but 'Chu wouldn't go on a journey with a shell-shocked boy, and Jam wanted to go. Necessary evils and all that. '_Besides, if we let this stop us, there goes our dream of winning the Pokemon League.'_

The future-trainer-turned-Pokepassenger heard an ellipsis over the connection, and knew he had won._ 'Fine, we'll go, but we need our trainer license first. And a way to carry everything.'_

_'Writing now, logic later.'_

_'Right. Now where's some paper?'_

Ten minutes later, Jam'n'Chu, as they had decided to call 'Chu's body, was sitting on the oversized hammock with a sketch pad and a sharpened-short pencil, with Jam's mother standing next to them, gazing curiously at the paper.

Jam had an idea.

_'Make it really businessy-sounding!'_ He cried.

_'Alright, but-'_

_'Aww...'_

_'Fine, fine.'_

'Greetings,' the paper said. 'My full name is Shorichu-'

_'Is it really?'_

_'No, it's 'Chu, but this is more businessy-sounding.'_

_'Oh, okay. Carry on.'_

'but you may call me 'Chu. As you may be aware, a potentially fatal accident rendered your son's body irreparable. In a last-ditch attempt to preserve his life, his consciousness was uploaded into my own mind, using a faulty teleporter. However, a minor issue must be addressed before we may continue.

Although Jam is, in fact, alive inside my mind, he is unable to control my body like the first experimental failure Bill (Surname not given) could. As such, he has requested I write to explain the situation, and to assure you that he is perfectly fine.

An idea has come to my attention, and I would like to discuss my thoughts with Jam on this touchy subject before bringing it to your attention.'

_'What thoughts?'_

_'Well, you technically died, so what about a funeral? We don't even know what happened to the body because I was asleep when we merged. For all we know, it's just laying somewhere, and you don't want to leave your own body for others to find, do you?'_

_'Not really, no. I just hope the body isn't too messed up. By the way, do you mind looking at mom for a second? She hasn't interrupted us or anything, and she usually would.'_

When 'Chu looked, the only words he could think of were _'did we break her?' _The woman had paled, and although she had her head turned in the general direction of the page, she seemed to be stared through it, off into the distance.

_'I think so, 'Chu. Carry on writing, she'll answer when she's better.'_

_'okie dokie lokie. And I'm never saying that again.'_

'Jam and I have come to the decision to request a funeral for him, the reason being that his body is dead and he has been reduced to the equivalent of a ghost for the time being. I apologise humbly for the sudden plea, but we both feel that a funeral would only be fitting, signifying the conclusion of his previous life and the start of a new one. I ask you to consider this request, but we are willing to wait for a reply.

Moving on once more, Jam has one final request. Namely, to receive his trainer licence and start his journey, despite what he has called, and I quote, "a minor injury". He has made a sound argument, and I must confess that I am in favour of this idea, despite any misgivings I previously had. You needn't worry for our safety; I have great experience in the wilderness from my days previous to meeting Jam, and it is physically impossible to separate us.

I hope to hear a reply from you, whether in favour or against these requests, and I bid you a good day.

Yours Faithfully,

Shorichu.

P.S. Jam asked me to write the letter formally, because he thought it would be funny.'

* * *

><p><strong>The Great Wall of Speech is upon us! I hopefully won't include these too often, but I found it unavoidable this once, so I hope you don't mind it this once.<strong>

**Next chapter, something happens! I don't know what, and that's a problem sometimes.**

**I guess they'll start their journey. Finally.**


	4. The Funeral

**Pokemon episodes are longer than this chapter. Don't know why that's relevant, but I may as well take a moment to say that Pokemon belongs to Nintendo.**

* * *

><p>Two days later, Jam'n'Chu were once again sitting on Jam's hammock with paper in paw. However, this time they had to read, rather than write. The note had been given to them by a still lightly shaking hand belonging to Jam's mother, who had then walked out their room without another word, presumably to collapse on the sofa.<p>

In jerky handwriting was written, 'Dear Jam and Shorichu,

I have read and re-read your previous letter, and am writing like to answer your requests.'

_'Yay! Mom's alright!'_

_'How so?'_

_'Chu, if she wasn't alright, explain why she's written a businessy-like letter as a joke.'_

'First of all, I am distressed by Jam's inability to interact with the world, but thankful that he fully understands and accepts his condition. I can only hope for what's best for him, although I do happen to be booked into a cruise on the new SS. Anne, so I shall contact Bill and attempt to learn some information from him about ways to fix this.

Although I have some misgivings about allowing Jam to his own funeral, I both understand your reasoning and agree wholeheartedly, although I am under the suspicion that my son just wants to get his hat back.'

_'Is that true, Jam?'_ 'Chu's eyebrow raised, and a sense of guilt was felt from Jam's side of the connection.

_'Maybe a little, but we need head protection.'_

_'You just want to look fabulous,' '_Chu accused him, but didn't push the point further and instead moved on.

'The funeral will take place tomorrow, on the Twenty-first of May, at four o'clock in the afternoon, inside the Pokemon Center, as the facilities inside are no longer useable.

After many qualms, Professor Maple and I have come to the decision that you be allowed to receive your licence and continue your journey. Our reasoning is that we can't stop you simply running away, and so we may as well give you the full experience.

Our only warning is to watch out for Pokemon, wild or otherwise, as although many fear trainers, they will not see a trainer in a Pokemon. As such, you will most likely encounter many more Pokemon than the average trainer, and may even discover new species.

I will see you again soon, so I shall say goodbye in person when the time comes.

Yours sincerely,

Ichigo Hachimitsu.'

The next day, at four o'clock sharp, Jam'n'Chu bounded to the destroyed Pokemon Center to attend the funeral. As they arrived, the pair stepped through the smashed doors, and made their way to the twisted ruins of the healer. As they approached, 'Chu winced; the bomb had melted the tungsten supports and charred them, and the metal was still warm to the touch after six days.

Would Jam's body even be recognisable?

_'Hey, stop being depressed and stuff! I don't care what my body looks like if I'm not using it any more, so don't be sad now. We've got more important things to do.'_

_'Like what?'_

_'Get my hat back. Oh, and check for ticking noises.' _'Chu tensed up and silenced his footsteps at this, but the only sounds to be heard were those of their madly drumming heart, and the wind seeping through the areas once fitted with glass. The former sound lost rhythm as a heavy footstep crunched on the glass that 'Chu had unwittingly avoided.

Spinning on his heel, 'Chu stole a glance at Mrs Hachimitsu, who deftly strode over to them, swept the yellow mouse up and propped it on her shoulder, before admonishing them, staring into the pair's face. "You shouldn't wander round with all this glass everywhere! What if you cut your feet? I might just keep you at home, misters, and don't think I won't!"

It was hard to argue with someone who can't understand you, but that didn't matter as neither boy nor Pikachu could think of anything to say, so 'Chu just hung his head in shame.

"I hope you've both learned your lessons." A nod. "Jam too?"

_'Yes,'_ Jam supplied, and 'Chu bobbed his head again.

"Good. Now stay here, the b-body's going to be brought in once everyone's gathered." Jam'n'Chu didn't miss the falter in the sentence, but couldn't do much to comfort her until the others arrived.

In the next ten minutes, thirty or so people filtered through the doors, most in head-to-toe black, but some had brought something green in honour of the boy's hat, which he had never been sighted without.

The service started, and the four pallbearers marched through the door, all wearing pure white suits, except for a single garment on each person's... person, which was a vibrant green. They were Professor Maple and his three aides, and Jam knew them all well.

The two men holding the front end of the covered box were named Yori and Gale. Yori was on the left, with a pair of green-rimmed glasses over his pale blue eyes, brown hair slicked back in a way Jam had never seen. Gale's long blonde hair rippled in the wind, held away from his somewhat feminine face by a green bandana in place of the usual red one.

The Professor's third aide and wife, stationed at the back left, was the exceptionally tall and just as gentle Melinda Maple, standing at over six feet and dwarfing her husband massively. Her strawberry-blond hair only went down to her shoulders, as she had grown bored one day and decided to cut it. She wore a green shirt under the undone white blazer.

Timothy Maple, the usually greying man, was now ablaze with colour. He had dyed his hair grass green, and had apparently had his Bulbasaur use Leech Seed to cover his suit in vines, which bloomed reds, purples and yellows. The four trudged to the end of the room furthest from the door, where a large square table stood next to the burned healer, and lowered the roughly Jam-sized box onto the surface.

The only four people in white turned to the rest, and Professor Maple stepped forward. "We are gathered here today to mourn the heartbreaking loss of Jam Hachimitsu," he started. "The ten-year-old boy was a great friend for children and adults alike, understanding and bright, and selfless. This quality brought him to action when there was nobody else to do so, and he shall be greatly missed, by all of us, by those whom he has helped throughout his regretfully short life, and by the people of the entire world, who have never been given the chance to meet this wonderful child.

Jam was born on the Fifteenth of May, and quickly proved to be intelligent and hard-working, kind and always willing to help someone in need. I myself first met him when he and his mother moved to Crustock village three years ago, and he has taught me many things, more than all my years of research. That anything can be overcome, even the limits of humanity, if you simply set your mind to it. That human and Pokemon can live in perfect harmony. He has proved both of these facts to be completely true."

Timothy's voice suddenly grew stronger, and the entire audience felt one, single idea flow through their hearts, washing away all others. Tears were wiped away, small smiles were shown, and the audience were suddenly standing as one, all because of one, single idea.

'Chu leapt up from the floor onto the remains of the healer, and the man continued.

"The flowers I am wearing represent an idea, a belief that I was gifted by the boy whom we are mourning. I ask that you raise your heads a little, for although his body lays at rest in this box, Jam has not left us. By the time I came to understand this, I had been so awash in grief that I had lost the one, single idea that Jam stands for, but I now realise what I had been missing.

Hope.

Jam is alive within his best friend, and he has truly crossed the barrier between human and Pokemon. I ask that you do not see this event as a cause for grief, but for celebration! For Jam and 'Chu, the pair inseparable even in death, have shown that we can cross any boundary life throws at us, with our heads held high and standing together! Let us not lament Jam's death, let's cheer for the birth of Jam'n'Chu!"

And cheer they did.

* * *

><p><strong>This is took forever to write. It's also the longest chapter I've made so far.<strong>

**When I said less speech, I'd forgotten about the funeral. I hope it turned out well, too, but I'm terrible at writing inspirational or mournful speeches, so it probably didn't.**

**Next chapter, Jam'n'Chu (That's what people will call them now) will see Jam's body and collect his hat!**

**I think I'll keep this at M rating, since I'm here already, but there probably won't be many deaths. I also have an idea of the future story now (no details), so no worries.**


	5. The Body and the Hat

**I was heart-swapped with a certain someone when the idea for Pokemon was conceived.**

* * *

><p>The funeral was suddenly a cheerful party, and the cries of 'cheers' could be heard outside the village walls. People were dancing in the middle of the room, chairs had been set up around the edge and drinks had been handed out. Someone bolted towards Jam'n'Chu, handed them a Pikachu-sized glass of... something and disappeared before either saw his face.<p>

'Chu sniffed the glass curiously, shrugged at the apple smell it gave off, and took a few sips. The pair suddenly felt even better than usual and Jam started giggling uncontrollably. Unspoken even in their minds, they both came to the same decision and 'Chu skittered through the crowd to Maple, who was currently too busy grooving to notice them.

_'What moves do you know, 'Chu?'_

_'Bite, scratch and tail whip. Why?'_

_''Chu, use bite on the Professor!' _'Chu obeyed, managing to grin while gnawing on the man's shin, before being kicked off and landing on his back. When he opened his eyes, Maple leaned over him worriedly, and he felt something cold on his forehead. He scratched at it hard, only to be met with a small shower of blood; the Professor had simply been checking his temperature.

Both 'Chu and Jam felt a little light-headed (understandable since they only had the one head), but 'Chu stood quickly and skipped to the coffin and back a few times, before Maple got the idea. "Okay, okay, I'll open it. Just try not to be too shocked, alright?" He seemed suddenly extremely tired, as if he was about to do something he'd regret.

Of course, being drunk didn't help with recognising expressions and such, so Jam'n'Chu didn't noticed anything wrong.

The man in his forties picked up the mouse and placed it gently on top of his grassy head, then proceeded towards the box. He heaved a sigh before reaching out and ripping the cover off the coffin. He sighed once more, his hands now grasping the lid, and heaved.

The entire room plummeted into silence.

Most people, including most of those Jam knew well, promptly took a great number of steps away, unwilling to show themselves the ruined body of a child. A few stepped forward, their necks craning, as the fact Jam wasn't properly dead had filled them with a morbid curiosity.

Of those, most left the room a few seconds later, claiming to need to use a toilet. Jam'n'Chu reeled back in horror. At least, 'Chu did. Jam burst out laughing.

_'I-I... What?! Why... Why are you laughing?!' _'Chu didn't find the sight of a dead body, especially his best friend's, particularly funny, and he made that fact known.

Jam's skin had been burned to a crisp. The right-hand side of his face, which had been facing towards the blast, was reduced to blackened muscle, with a few bits of chipped bone showing where the glass had embedded itself. The left half was only mildly singed, which only made the sight even scarier. 'Chu felt like he was in a horror movie, particularly with Jam's continued laughter in the background, as his eyes moved down to the rest of the body, which still wore the same clothes it had when last seen alive.

The remains of them, anyway. The right side of the blue hooded jacket had been set alight previously, and only around half the garment remained, with charred flesh beneath. The grey cargo pants were in a similar state, but the right portion was intact enough to distinguish hundreds of minuscule tears from shards of glass. 'Chu's eyes were quickly deflected down to the black trainers, and he wished he hadn't looked. They seemed to have somehow melted onto Jam's feet, then been burned back off; chunks of shoe and foot were missing.

Jam finally seemed to gain control of his hysterics. A sudden dim blue flash of light gained 'Chu's attention, and he gained an impression of someone pointing towards the head. the mouse looked and gasped in astonishment.

The hat was intact.

A tiny scorch mark on the front white section of the green cap, which Jam would have attached his badges to, was the only sign of damage. 'Chu marvelled at the miracle, and reached out, stretching his neck to grab it in his teeth.

His hind paw slipped, and he landed inside the coffin.

The owner of the dead body found the next three seconds of watching his best buddy scramble away from his corpse extremely unpleasant, but the best buddy in question had an easily less happy time actually performing the action. No sooner had he escaped the clutches of the limp, stone-cold form of the late Mr Hachimitsu, then he took off back to the boy's bedroom on the other side of the village.

Twenty minutes later, Gale rediscovered Jam'n'Chu, one of which was currently crying a literal puddle in Jam's room. Both boy and mouse had been forcibly sobered by the accident, and 'Chu reacted accordingly to the state of Jam's body. Once he had calmed down enough to hear anything other than his own wailing, which currently consisted of something along the lines of _'h-he's gone,'_ he heard a rather loud voice in the back of his head.

_'Hey! I'm not gone, I'm just with you a lot more than I was before._' In the shock of hearing a voice he had convinced himself had been extinguished, 'Chu forgot to breathe._ 'Although, if you don't start breathing again, we might both be gone soon._' The mouse glared through his tears at a spot he almost imagined Jam to be, and breathed once more. _'That's better. I thought I'd die, then!'_

Jam knew he'd made a mistake when the mouse broke down again._ 'Wait, no! I didn't mean- 'CHU!'_ The yellow Pokemon jumped, forgetting once again to draw breath in his equal parts surprise and remorse. _'Breathe! Now, who's stuck in your head with you?'_

'Chu took a deep gulp of air before answering shakily. _'You are...'_

_'Who can probably see you every time you dream but we don't know because you don't dream much?'_

_'You can...'_

_'Good. Who will find it physically impossible to die until you do, or until he regains a body?'_

_'You will...' _he replied in the same monotonous voice, but his body language told Jam he had calmed down.

'Thanks for worrying about me, _'Chu, but you know what we need now?'_

_'Your hat?' _A tiny hint of an emotion other than sorrow and fright could be heard in his mind's voice, and although Jam couldn't tell exactly what it was, he was glad all the same.

_'I was thinking a bath to get your tears washed off,' _he smiled,_ 'but that works too.'_

_'Yes- No wait, I'm fine with a bath! No! We need the hat!' _The mouse's muddled mind decided on indecisiveness, and Jam couldn't help but giggle a bit. Neither noticed the brief flash of blue in the corner of the room.

_'The hat can wait a little, but I can't fill the bath up now, so ask Gale.'_

_'Why him?'_

_'because he's kneeling behind us, but doesn't want to scare you by picking us up.'_

'Chu wheeled round, and could now see the colossal man. Jam was given yet another reminder of their body size, and if he had control of the body, their ears would be flat on their head. 'Chu simply gave a weak smile, before nuzzling the aide's hand. The mouse was given the petting of a lifetime, and Jam suddenly secretly hoped that he would stay in this body, if only to be scratched behind the ears more. 'Chu somehow picked up on this fact.

'If you want to get more of these, ask for a Pokemon body if you get a new one.' Jam put the idea into the 'must do' section of his mind.

After a time that seemed so go by far to quickly to be the hour it was, the tear-soaked Pikachu tapped the kindly Gale on the shoulder, and bolted up the stairs, carrying a wide smile and a mentally pouting (at least until he remembered the bath) ten year old boy along for the ride. He crashed into the wall halfway up, unable to turn the corner in his speed, but that bothered neither occupant, nor did it slow down their quest for warm water.

Gale slipped inside the large, impossibly speckless bathroom and glanced around, spotting a Pikachu attempting to turn the hot tap. He sighed amusedly, and stepped forward. 'Chu stopped attacking the tap with his teeth and allowed the effeminate man to twist it on, along with the cold one to a slightly less powerful setting. The mouse nudged a bottle, and Gale opened it and poured a little into the tub. The water was smothered in hot pink bubbles, and 'Chu's grin reflected Jam's mental one.

_'Geronimo!'_

* * *

><p><strong>Another long chapter! Let's hope I keep this up.<strong>

**I didn't realise how long I've been putting off the journey until now, but I think it's worth it. Besides, many stories have a slow start.**

**Next chapter, Jam finally gets his hat! (Maybe.)**


	6. Blue Flash

**If Pokemon belonged to me, it would've gone bankrupt millennia ago.**_  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>'Jam?' <em>'Chu, having had a lot of time and not-quite-burning water to calm down in, voiced a question that had rather randomly popped into his head. Or his mind, at least, as Jam apparently hadn't thought of it even a little.

_'Yeah?' _Jam wasn't listening, 'Chu could tell.

_'If you don't pay proper attention, I'll get out of the tub.'_

Jam snapped to attention so fast that 'Chu swore he had heard a clicking sound._ 'What is it, Chu?'_

_'How come you see different things to me?'_

The trainer was understandably confused by this. _'What do you mean?'_

'Chu elaborated. _'I mean that I didn't see the hat, or Gale, so how did you? I can understand the hat, since it was in my area of sight, but Gale was behind me!'_

_'Oh, that's easy! I just saw...' _Jam trailed off, and the reason was obvious. He didn't have an answer. They left it at that, but 'Chu felt certain he was missing something important, and he racked his mind fruitlessly for any sign of a pattern.

After the two hour long bubble bath, Gale rubbed 'Chu dry, having finished mopping up the tears from Jam's bedroom floor. The mouse was left with a ridiculously fluffy chest and a tuft of fur between his ears, which inexplicably refused to lay flat. Jam'n'Chu glanced at a mirror on the way out the house with Gale, and they both thought the new look rather fitting for the new adventure they would soon embark on.

Riding on the blonde man's shoulder, with hair whipping into their face every now and again, the pair arrived at the old Pokemon Center. The place was almost empty by now, as most of the party members had helped in the search for Jam'n'Chu. The coffin, which the pair could now appreciate for its elaborate curves, made from the wood of a nearby rainbow eucalyptus, lay exactly where it had previously.

'Chu leapt off Gale's shoulder, landing nimbly on the table that the box rested on, and Yori, green glasses flashing slightly, usually messy hair slicked back in that way that Jam thought suited him, despite the man claiming to hate gel. Together with Gale, he lifted the lid and Jam'n'Chu once again saw Jam's corpse.

_'Still think it's funny?'_ 'Chu's voice was ever so slightly acidic, and Jam attempted to flinch, before realising that he couldn't. They stopped in their tracks; a dim blue light with a few wisps of yellow had materialised in front of them. Or at least, in front of 'Chu. Jam had the rather dizzying experience of seeing the world from two perspectives at the same time, and didn't recover for a minute after the light had vanished.

_'Wait a minute!'_ 'Chu shouted suddenly. Gale and Yori started; they had heard a shout of "Pika!" and spent a few seconds hyperventilating. _'We saw that light last time we were here, and you saw the hat! Did you feel anything strange just now?'_

_'If you count seeing you while still in your body and seeing through your eyes at the same time, which by the way makes you really dizzy, then yeah.' _'Chu felt a pang of the headache Jam was currently experiencing in full force, and winced. That was painful. _'If you don't mind, could I get some sleep?'_

_'Sure, I just hope one of us can sleep while the other- Wait! That could work!' _In 'Chu's excitement, he once again forgot to explain his thoughts.

_'What could work?' _Jam asked, nonplussed.

_'Well if you can sleep while I stay awake, why not the other way round? You might even get control of our body!'_

_'That might work except when you fell asleep the first time I was pulled into your dream. Maybe it'll work when you're not dreaming, though.'_

_'Or maybe you fell asleep then, too,' _'Chu snicked, and Jam's mental self blushed a little.

_'Okay fine, you got me. I was really worried about you, too.' _They both giggled, but Jam stopped quickly._ 'Seriously though, I need sleep.'_

And Jam was, for lack of a better saying, dead to the world.

A small breeze found Jam standing somewhere in a black abyss. maybe he was nowhere. Or maybe nowhere. The question as to which bored Jam, however, so his train of thought continued down the line. He took a step forward. And tripped. Apparently he was more used to a Pokemon body now than his old human one, even in the dream world. That somehow pleased him greatly; he must be doing something right.

Jam was tackled by a suspiciously yellow object, and hugged it as he went down.

"Are you going to knock me over every single time, 'Chu?"

_~Yes! I was getting worried when you didn't wake up.~_

"Why? How long have I been asleep?"

_~Only the better part of two days!~ _'Chu snapped, and Jam flinched slightly.

"Sorry 'Chu... I was really dizzy, though," he defended himself half heartedly, but 'Chu seemed to have pacified a little.

_~Just don't do it again,~_ he warned, and the boy nodded vigorously. _~Good. Now, do you want to wake up so you can try to take over our body?~_

The future trainer nodded again, and was suddenly in the real world, waking up from a long sleep. He took a step forward. And laughed. He could move again! The boy-turned-pikachu went down to all fours and raced for the door. Of course, said door was closed, so Jam looked around the room for anything to help him turn the handle. A nearby mirror stuck out, and Jam noted in glee the green cap on his head, but giggled at the tuft of hair sticking out from underneath.

The mirror also reminded Jam of something else. He had long ears. And a tail. He flicked the flat bolt shaped lightning-rod and waved it above his head. He felt it seize up and panicked; he was fairly certain that shouldn't happen. Straining to see his own (for now) tail, the human-turned-Pokemon remembered he could just look in the mirror, and did so.

Another mirror reflected the back of his head. This one was bolt shaped, and just happened to be attached to him. That was cool and all, but how would he turn it off?

As if responding to Jam's thoughts, which it probably was, the tail changed back to its regular, bright yellow self.

Curious.

* * *

><p><strong>I was actually going to make this much longer (think ten thousand words), but I didn't feel like making you all wait.<strong>

**You're welcome.**


End file.
